Ramapo Edges Kean Softball in NJAC Twinbill

UNION – Ramapo College won a pair of one-run games, as they earned a sweep of host Kean University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on Thursday afternoon. The Roadrunners (25-13, 12-4 NJAC) rallied to win the opener, 5-4, before defeating the Cougars (23-14, 7-9 NJAC) in nightcap, 1-0, in eight innings.

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Courtney Melchionna

Three-Run Seventh Rallies Ramapo, 5-4

Ramapo doubled three times in the top of the seventh inning to rally from a 4-2 deficit and win the opener, 5-4.

After second baseman Amanda Kent had a one-out double and left fielder Rachel Wong walked toput runners on first and second, sophomore Danielle Rothenberger followed with a double to drive in Kent, while an error also allowed Wong to score with the game-tying run. Two batters later, junior catcher Stephanie Malgeri doubled to score pinch-runner Deanna Russomanno with what proved be the game-winning run, as Ramapo didn’t allow the Cougars to score in the bottom half of the seventh.

Ramapo took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior centerfielder Katie Donnelly led off the game with an infield single, stole second and scored on a single by Rothenberger.

The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead, as sophomore shortstop Alicia Banz walked and senior right fielder Allison Lizzi singled to put runners on first and second. Two batters later, senior first baseman Cassie Shotwell had a two-out single up the middle to score Banz and rookie Courtney Melchionna followed with a double to deep centerfield to drive in Lizzi and Shotwell for the 3-1 lead.

Katie Zolli

Ramapo cut the lead in half with a single run in the top of the fourth inning on a run-scoring single by rookie Janet Brown to trim the Kean lead to 3-2, before the Cougars pushed the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Allison Thibault had a two-out, pinch-hit single and scored on a double by freshman Katie Zolli to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead.

For the Cougars, Lizzi and Zolli each had two hits.

In the victory, Wong was 2-of-3 with one run scored, while Rothenberger was 2-of-4 with two RBI. On the mound, junior right-hander Deanna Giordano (10-7) earned the complete game victory, as she scattered eight hits and had six strikeouts.

Roadrunners Score Game’s Only Run in Bottom of Eighth

Cassie Shotwell

Sophomore shortstop Tiffany Fischer broke a scoreless tie with a RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Roadrunners the 1-0 win in the nightcap, while junior right-hander Lyndsay Buehler allowed just one hit in the complete-game shutout for Ramapo.

Junior catcher Stephanie Malgeri started the bottom of the eighth inning on second base due to the tie-breaking rules and after Kean senior right-hander Cassie Shotwell struck out the first Roadrunner for the first out of the inning, Fischer drove the ball to deep centerfield to score Malgeri with the game-winning run.

Buehler (13-3) contained the Cougar offense, only allowing an infield single to designated player Allison Thibault in the third inning, as she walked only two batters and had nine strikeouts.

Shotwell (12-6) was solid in the losing effort, as she scattered six hits and was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth inning with one of her four strikeouts.

Malgeri and Fischer each had two hits for the Roadrunners.

The Cougars, who are just one game behind for the sixth and final spot in the NJAC playoffs, travel to Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, May 1, for the final NJAC regular season doubleheader of the season.